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"Cam, this is my father, Ahearn, King of the Kelpies."
"It's good to meet you, sir," Cam said politely, doing something that was probably supposed to be a half bow.
"And you. I hear you are a wraith? Are you perchance related to Isabella and Victor McCloughan from Inverness?"
Cam shook his head. "No, at least I don't think so. I'm adopted, so I don't know who I'm related to."
"I'm sure I could ask them..."
"Dad," Macey interrupted. "We need your help."
The kelpie king's expression immediately sobered.
"Are you pregnant?"
Macey laughed. "You know you're the second person who's asked me that this week?"
Her father raised his bushy eyebrows. "Who was the first?"
"A kabouter woman... don't even ask. Has Aunt Nessie told you what I discussed with her?"
He nodded solemnly. "The Wardens business? Aye, she has. I'm still having trouble imagining my little foal having such responsibility. But if anyone can do it, you can."
Macey's eyes began to sting and she blinked away her tears.
"That's why we're here," she said quickly before she began to get emotional. "We're preparing to fight the Mahoun, the entity that has taken on the shape of the devil, and we need as much help as we can get. The other Wardens are travelling to other communities to recruit allies, but of course I came here first."
"Of course," her father repeated. "Anything you need. You know we're no warriors, but I will give you my best mages. I would come myself, but we've been having trouble recently... No, I don't want to add to your problems. If my theory is correct, this is related to the evilness that is overtaking the world. If you defeat the Mahoun, maybe it will get better."
Macey was about to say something, to protest that she needed to know, but Cam was quicker.
"Thank you. We'll take whoever you can spare. And once we're done, we'll return and help. Right, Macey?"
Again, she wanted to protest, but she knew he was right. She couldn't start fighting on yet another front. The Mahoun had to be their priority.
"Can you call them now?" she asked her father. "We need to leave again soon. We can drop them in the place where we'll meet the other Wardens. Then we'll have to travel to the na fir ghorma."
Ahearn looked at her in astonishment. "The storm kelpies? You're going to meet the storm kelpies?"
Macey smiled. "We've visited them before. Their crown prince is quite nice, actually. Their king is slightly deluded, but they did offer their help, so now we're going to take them up on that."
The kelpie king shook his head. "I'm not quite sure what to think of that. I better get the mages."
He shifted in one fluid motion, far quicker than Macey could.
Before he dived, he clicked a question and Macey couldn't help but laugh.
"No, I'm not!"
Na Fir Ghorma (Blue Men of the Minch)
Twenty-One
They left their twenty kelpie mages at Malan's hut. The prophet didn't look surprised at all, and just told them to come inside for some tea. The kelpie's were all slightly bewildered, but they trusted their princess to have a reason for bringing them there. None of the other Wardens had arrived yet, so Macey scribbled down a quick message for them to say that they were now headed to the na fir ghorma. Half of their task done already. So far, this was going surprisingly well.
She was a little worried about the others, but they were all capable people and hadn't been selected as Wardens just for anything. They could do it. And it wasn't a trap. No. It couldn't be. Macey wouldn't allow it.
"Ready?" Cam asked, putting an arm around her shoulders. It was only early afternoon in Malan's domain and he'd given them some oatcakes as a midday snack. Macey was nibbling on hers, trying not to worry.
